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Use moisturizers, if possible ointments rather than lotions since the thicker consistency are healthier at avoiding skin dehydration. Use the cream or ointment within 15 minutes of shower or bath. Reapply moisturizer at dark, and moisturize the hands every time after washing. If you experience more dryness try to apply Cleanser, Moisturizing Lotion, Boabab Oil, Sun Diffuser SFP 25, and Balm. Some chemotherapy skin care products are prone to sunburn. The sunscreen product mentioned above might be useful, which are ensured to defend against both UVA and UVB rays. Defense against UVA needs ingredients like zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, or avobenzone.

Chemo is designed to prevent the replication of cancer cells. Unfortunately it can also have a harsh impact on cancer patients’ skin as it inadvertently targets fast-replicating skin cells. Patients can experience side-effects such as painful rashes and raw skin. This is why we have created skin care products specifically designed for patients undergoing chemo treatments.

Skin is the outer layer of the body which directly gets contact with the environment. It is important to take proper care of the skin, but most important for the cancer patients. The world is full of hazards for cancer patients – either those currently in treatment or survivors – need to practice extra diligence in avoiding what may present obstacles or problems to their complete recovery of health. But that doesn’t mean survivors can’t still experience great skin health with the best skin care for it! Confronted with chemotherapy, radiation and the many challenges cancer survivors face, healthy and beautiful skin may seem to be an elusive dream.

Common skin problems or complaints for people undergoing cancer treatment: dry skin, sensitive skin, rashes and dermatitis. While all the effects of cancer and its treatment on the body cannot be avoided, there are few steps cancer survivors can take to heal damaged skin from the inside out.

There are three parts to caring for your skin during and after treatment for cancer. The firstly is to take a gentle approach with your skin. What is true for skin care in general is especially true for cancer survivors. The skin is like an eco system of the body and when it gets out of balance due to treatments, a slow and gentle approach is the way to go. The second is to exercise caution when it comes to ingredients. And thirdly, aim for healthy skin from the inside out. What you put in your body is as important as what you put on your skin.

Choose Solutions for Healthy Skin

Cancer patients have unique needs when it comes to skin care. Medications affect skin quality and sensitivity, surgical procedures can create challenges for skin, and some ingredients commonly found in skin care products should not be used on patients with cancer who are undergoing radiation treatment.

There is a wealth of information about oncology patients and skin care, but the key message is that anyone working with cancer patients should be very careful and very aware of what products they are using, so as to not exacerbate any problems or create new skin issues for them.

Common problems, Helpful Solutions for Skin care

Overall dryness/ Excessive rubbing

Apply moisturizer on the skin. Look for light weight lotions that are easy to slather on quickly while your skin is still damp from bathing. Damp skin will help transport the lotion more quickly across the skin surface and will help maintain moisture levels on skin that is already hydrated from bathing.

Severely cracking Hands/ feet

Find an unscented cream or lotion (preferably a heavier cream) that has basic moisturizing properties and is less oily and without heavy chemical. The real challenge is finding one that will help protect your skin, provide nutrition to it while not too oily. Ingredients with plant oils and especially glycerin are good choices.

Cleanliness/Need for Extra Hygiene While on Treatment

As extra bathing can also cause extra dryness. It is important to use cleansers that are very mild and natural. Choose very mild soaps and skin washes that have emollient properties which protect your skin from harm.

In addition to slowing or stopping the growth of cancer, can affect a person’s skin, hair, and nails. Often skin problems from cancer treatment are not severe, but they can be uncomfortable and noticeable. The visible changes occurs with people or symptoms caused by a skin condition.

Sensitivity to light. Some types of Chemotherapy & Radiation therapy may make the skin more sensitive to light. This is called photosensitivity.To protect sensitive skin from sunburns when outside use sunscreen.

Radiation-related skin problems. When radiation therapy is used on cancer cells, it also affects healthy skin cells. This can cause the skin to peel, itch, or hurt. Skin damage from radiation treatment often starts after 1 or 2 weeks of treatment. Most often, it gets better a few weeks after treatment ends. If it becomes a problem, your doctor may change your radiation dose or schedule until the condition improves.

Skin reactions can be independent of dose and can persist long after the drug causing the allergic reaction has been discontinued.Chemotherapy and radiation can cause changes and damages to the skin. Some patients experience no change in the skin, suffer from severe dryness, peeling, and sensitivity. The cause of skin reactions is often unknown although many have an allergic or toxic basis.

Major Types of Skin Reactions

DRY SKIN

What is dry skin?

Dry skin is characterized by mild scaling, roughness, feeling of tightness, and possibly itching. With dry skin reactions, the skin cells at the lower layer of the epidermis are dry and flat, with no moisture.Factors that contribute to dry skin reactions include:

DehydrationExtreme weather conditionsPerfumed productsAllergy When a Moisturizer is used on the surface of the skin, the cream penetrates and restores moisture to the skin cells. Creams and lotions are effective ways of restoring moisture for dry skin reactions. Ointments are basically designed to be a barrier and stay on the surface of the skin for protection against harsh elements.

Clothes:

Wear cotton clothes where possible next to the skin, rather than wool, synthetic fibers or rough clothing.

Wash clothes in mild detergent.

NAIL CHANGES

What are nail changes?

There are several types of nail changes which may occur in patients receiving chemotherapy. The most common of these skin reactions seen, particularly in dark-skinned persons, is hyperpigmentation (darkening). For Skin Cancer Organic Nail Polish line from France is a cancer safe formulation for cancer survivors in treatment.Only cancer safe, high quality ingredients with NO fragrance

In addition to slowing or stopping the growth of cancer, can affect a person’s skin, hair, and nails. Often skin problems from cancer treatment are not severe, but they can be uncomfortable and noticeable. The visible changes occurs with people or symptoms caused by a skin condition.

Sensitivity to light. Some types of Chemotherapy & Radiation therapy may make the skin more sensitive to light. This is called photosensitivity.To protect sensitive skin from sunburns when outside use sunscreen.

Radiation-related skin problems. When radiation therapy is used on cancer cells, it also affects healthy skin cells. This can cause the skin to peel, itch, or hurt. Skin damage from radiation treatment often starts after 1 or 2 weeks of treatment. Most often, it gets better a few weeks after treatment ends. If it becomes a problem, your doctor may change your radiation dose or schedule until the condition improves.

Skin reactions can be independent of dose and can persist long after the drug causing the allergic reaction has been discontinued.Chemotherapy and radiation can cause changes and damages to the skin. Some patients experience no change in the skin, suffer from severe dryness, peeling, and sensitivity. The cause of skin reactions is often unknown although many have an allergic or toxic basis.

Major Types of Skin Reactions

DRY SKIN

What is dry skin?

Dry skin is characterized by mild scaling, roughness, feeling of tightness, and possibly itching. With dry skin reactions, the skin cells at the lower layer of the epidermis are dry and flat, with no moisture.Factors that contribute to dry skin reactions include:

DehydrationExtreme weather conditionsPerfumed productsAllergy When a Moisturizeris used on the surface of the skin, the cream penetrates and restores moisture to the skin cells. Creams and lotions are effective ways of restoring moisture for dry skin reactions. Ointments are basically designed to be a barrier and stay on the surface of the skin for protection against harsh elements.

Clothes:

Wear cotton clothes where possible next to the skin, rather than wool, synthetic fibers or rough clothing.

Wash clothes in mild detergent.

NAIL CHANGES

What are nail changes?

There are several types of nail changes which may occur in patients receiving chemotherapy. The most common of these skin reactions seen, particularly in dark-skinned persons, is hyperpigmentation (darkening). For Skin Cancer Organic Nail Polish line from France is a cancer safe formulation for cancer survivors in treatment.Only cancer safe, high quality ingredients with NO fragrance.

Chemotherapy often damages the rapidly dividing cells of the lips contributing to dry, chapped, cracked, sore, and eventually bleeding lips. In addition to discomfort, extremely chapped lips (medical term cheilitis) and fissures (tiny cuts) increase the risk of infection in cancer patients.

Male or female, young or old and regardless of a person’s skin type chemotherapy will make the skin dry and lips chapped because these drugs interfere with the skins oil and sweat gland function and the renewal process of the epidermis, dermis and hypodermis skin layers. Skin, nail/cuticle and lip damage is a consequence, an adverse treatment affect of chemotherapy.

Additionally, because cancer treatment is administered in cycles (on and off over months) impaired healing and accumulated toxicities from previous treatment makes skin, lips and nails more vulnerable to subsequent damage.

Keeping the skin and lips hydrated with a medicinal therapeutic ointment and lip balm (not cosmetic) during and after chemotherapy will help minimize skin damage and discomfort.

As the air starts to lose its moisture, our skin, hands, and lips follow suit. Sure, you should restock your desk, purse, and bedroom with Chapstick, but that’s not the only answer for how to get rid of chapped lips. To kiss cracked lips goodbye and score a truly gorgeous, soft, touch-me pucker, try one or all of these brilliant chapped lip cures.

4. For chapped and sore lips, slice up a cucumber into thin pieces and leave them over lips for five minutes. It helps rehydrates your lips and feels fantastic.

5. Exfoliate, exfoliate, exfoliate. Use a lip exfoliator like to make an at-home paste with sugar and honey. For very sensitive lips, use a clean, soft toothbrush and brush back and forth.

6. Don’t lick your lips. We lick our dry lips to add some moisture, but it actually dries them out even more. Your saliva contains acids that break down food, but they also irritate your lips. Plus, continuously licking will remove any natural oils you have on your lips.

7. Breathe through your nose. Something as little as breathing through your mouth can actually dry out your lips.

8. Resist the urge to pick at them. Instead, soften them with lip balm and exfoliate the flakes off.

9. Use sunscreen to prevent burned, chapped lips. Already chapped? Skip the SPF so it doesn’t irritate the sensitive skin.

10. Another ingredient to look for: Shea butter, which nourishes and moisturizes.